Not to be outdone, the 8th grade band wrote a few tweets of their own. Their only guidelines were that it had to relate to our concert and contain less than 140 characters. Here is what they wrote.
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Today in class I asked 7th graders to come up tweets to say something about our next concert (which is only 2 weeks away!). All of their comments had to be 140 characters or less. Here are a few!
Have a happy weekend everybody! In honor of our few days off and our cold and wet weather, I wanted to post a fitting video to warm you all up. The United States Navy Band has recorded a fantastic performance of a piece by Eric Whitacre. This music, "October," is stunningly beautiful . It has also been rewritten for choir under the title "Alleluia." The bands of the United States Armed Services are some of the best in the world. They promote morale and culture throughout the world. Through their work an excellent service is provided to the public at home and service members abroad. Alan Gilbert is the conductor of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, one of the best musical groups in the world. His position is one of the most prestigious that a conductor could ever earn. Maestro (which is sometimes what great conductors are called) Gilbert has a great sense of humor and is always happy to talk about music. Last week, he paid a visit to Sesame Street to explain what a conductor does. What other things can a conductor do with his or her baton? Do you think you might like to be a conductor someday? Why? Post your thoughts in the comments section! Equinox, a song being performed by the 8th grade band in May is written by Eric Osterling. Osterling was born in Hartford, Connecticut. He taught in the public schools there for 34 years. His music has been performed by musicians from elementary students to professionals. You can read and find links to his music on his biography. One of Mr. Osterling's most famous marches is Bandology. Here you can hear it performed by the CHMS band from 2009. What similarities do you hear between Bandology and Equinox? Post your thoughts in the comments below! April is Jazz Appreciation Month. During this time, we can reflect and learn about a style of music that America can call its own creation. 2013 will celebrate The Spirit and Rhythms of Jazz. Stories, videos, and a lot more information can be found at the website of the Smithsonian: www.smithsonianjazz.org. You can even find a list of 112 ways to celebrate jazz. Jazz is an important part of our shared history and culture. Take a few minutes this month to learn a little and listen a little. Also, be on the lookout for a guest post by two students that visited Niagara Falls over break. The Dubuque Symphony Orchestra has just announced the audition requirements for their 2013-2014 youth ensembles. Information can be found by clicking here. Past and current Drexler and Intermediate School students as well as a number of Western Dubuque High School students currently participate in the ensembles. Auditions are open to students with at least two years of playing experience. The groups perform professional level symphonic music. It is an amazing opportunity for any young musician! One of the pieces being played by the 8th grade band this spring is "Journey Down Niagara" by Christopher Tucker. The size and majesty of this can not really be captured in a picture, but since a number of students had not seen one, and since a field trip is probably out of the question, I thought I would post a picture and a few facts about the landmark.
Height: 176 ft. Length: 1060 ft. Volume of water: 150,000 Gallons per second. We hope you find our performance almost as exciting as the real thing! One of the pieces the 7th grade band will be playing this term is "Overture Espanol" by John Higgins. This work contains a number of Spanish chords, instruments, and styles in a modern overture style for middle school concert band. As a way to introduce yourself to the style of the piece, watch a performance by the Banda Sinfonica de Miguelturra from Miguelturra, Spain. What Spanish-influenced sounds do you hear? |
AuthorMs. Maher teaches 7th and 8th grade music at Drexler Middle & Intermediate School in the Western Dubuque Community School District. Also check out...Archives
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